Right now I am so furious and sick and I need some serious advice and help. I got a call from my son at Ft. Hood, TX last night and we talked for an hour. I noticed something in his voice, but I thought everything was cool. NOT!!! Later on I received another call from my son, who initially was not going to tell me wtf was going on. With my recent hospitalization, my son said he did not want to upset me.
This was my son, Gabriel, when he went into the Army @ 18...against my wishes, but he made the decision on his own. 
And this is my son as of yesterday after being jumped on by 10 of his fellow soldiers. 
He went across Ft Hood to his friends barracks. He said he was just going to visit his friend from HS who joined the Army with him, and these guys he didn't even know were drinking and sitting around, and one of them said my son "looked" at him funny. Then threw a beer can at my son. My son, Gabriel, picked it up and threw it back, and all 10 of these idiots jumped at once. They were ALL WHITE!!! So, I'm wondering if it was racially motivated.
He says they also jumped someone else the same day. Is this some sort of fucking gang or something???? He says when the MP's came they all ran. Gabriel told me they are conducting an investigation. But I'm not waiting for that. This is bullshit. Of course I know my son, and there's probably more to the story, but even so, 10 guys jumping on one is fucked up.
He said they had to do a CAT scan, and he thinks his jaw is fractured because he can't eat. He's also having bad headaches. He doesn't even remember if he was unconscious.
WTF kind of army do we have where soldiers jump on each other??? I mean, I can see a fight every now and then, one on one, or even two on one, but 10 damned soldiers jumping on one of their own????? What the fuck happened to honor????
I need advice...I know there are people here in the military, aren't there????? I'd like to know what the best course of action is. Who should I contact? His CO? All I know is I am calling that base tomorrow and someone better tell me something. I am raising so much fucking hell. I know my son is a man, but fuck this. He could have been killed. I'm sitting here thinking..."Oh, as long as they don't send him to Iraq, he'll be ok..." YEAH RIGHT....
He's not even safe on his own damned base???? I'm so glad he took pics, and I told him to take some more. I just need to know what I CAN do. Since he is 18, can I do anything???? I want to press charges on these cowardly fucking bastards. I mean, I'm thinking the Army might tell Gabriel NOT to say anything or try to get some action taken. So, what are my options? Can he get leave to come home???
OMG I AM SOOOOO ANGRY> 
You will have to excuse my language as I usually do not curse like this, but my head is about to explode.
NEED IMMEDIATE HELP FROM anyone who has military knowledge
by Tatiana 29 Replies latest jw friends
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Tatiana
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Indo_Dude
He's over 18 and in the military. He can fight his own battles. He doesn't need his mom raising hell. He's a man, and now needs to deal with it in his way. I'd be mortified if my mother stepped in for me at my place of work. I think if you call and start making a big deal of it, it may just make it worse for him. At least that's my call.
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bigmouth
That's a ghastly thing to happen Tatiana. I would be ropable if something like this happened to my son.
Having said that, I think Indo_Dude is probably right. Your involvement will make his life a misery.
You've got a powerful male institution with its own police force, thousands of men who might be in prison if it weren't for the armed forces, young men who are told what to do every waking moment and a job inexorably linked to violence. (rightly or wrongly)
I wonder if the US Army turns a blind eye to this kind of thing as a way to control the pecking order.
I hope your son is able to institute an official enquiry and get these goons discharged. -
Tired of the Hypocrisy
I am a father and I know how my wife and I would feel if our son was jumped and beaten like that. I concur with the first response. He is grown, AND a military man now. If you go in there raising all the righteous hell you can muster, it will humiliate him and make him a bigger target. The military is no place for wussies. If you go in and complain he will be seen as a momma's boy and a wussy who will be beaten worse than this. If the MP's are involved, it is best to leave it in their hands. If your son is smart I hope he just drops it. He has to count on these guys to save his ass in the combat zone. Something each of these little bastards needs to recognize about him. They need to count on him out there under fire and they just gave him one helluva reason to let them burn.
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carla
I understand your rage but under no circumstances do you, mom, go in there and raise a ruckus! You will make him a future target for the rest of his time in there. The news of a mommys boy will spread to other units and he will never live it down. Go to one of the military forums and see what they say. There are numerous military forums where you can ask, however, you may want to keep the details of where this happened and where he is stationed quiet. Not too hard for the military guys to guess these things. Do not post his picture. State the case as calmly and as you can and ask for advice. It will not be good for him if it is found out mom has been spreading this all over the internet at this point either when an investigation has not even been completed yet. He needs to take care of this himself, not you, but by all means find out what he should do.
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quietlyleaving
I'n so sorry Tatiana - poor guy.
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rekless
I was in the navy, First, is he in boot camp or has he graduated from boot camp?I was in the Navy in the 60's; so, I don't know what has changed. You will always have Asholes and you can't get away from them.
In boot camp there is no alcohol. I didn't know you could drink openly on base.It was confined to the Officers' and NCO's clubs.
If he doesn't want any conflict from them stay away from that area.
Your best bet is to call the your son's recruiter and tell him. He will know how to jump the ropes and get to the bottom of this.
Sorry for what happened, in today's climate of bad asses I'd just steer away from groups who are drinking, lonely back streets and bad neigborhoods. I know there should not be any of these on base, but as he as learned there are, and don't take a knife to a gun fight. I bet the next time he won't return their beer bottle.
Dan
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RebelWife
I don't have anything to add, but I have to agree with what's already been said. You want to guarantee that your kid will have problems throughout his military career, raise hell. Mama's boys are not treated well. I'm not saying he's a mama's boy, just that that's how he'd be viewed. He's a man in the eyes of the military, and he has to deal with this on his own. I completely understand how you're feeling. I had one in, too. They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, but a woman scorned is nothing compared to this. It feels like your whole body is exploding, not just your head. You said they jumped another soldier the same day. What was the race of the other soldier? How does your son know about it?
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jstalin
Actually, it's the JAG office (Judge Advocate General). He should look at getting an attorney familiar with military criminal law.
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hillbilly
If he reports this, the Army will investigate it. He will have to get medical treatment ...after all he is subject to discipline as government property (his body) has been damaged. For getting jumped by 10 guys... looks like he came out pretty well. Most people are shocked when they see the results of a real fist fight. As you see ...real life is nothing like the movies. I have seen folks busted up as bad in a one-on-one fight so all things considered your boy is lucky.
My step son was in a couple of altercations . The story we got from him, the story we got from the police reports and the story we got from the Adjudants office... well all I can say is in any fight there are two sides to the story. As a mom you wont want to hear both sides.. but rest assured there are two.
On the other hand..what will likely happen ...if your son regards this as a soilders' fight...some guys from his company will find these cats and whoop them. Racially motivated? Maybe.. but as with any group of drunks..well throwing the can back at them was bound to liberate some whoop ass on the part of the drunks. I hope your son learned that discretion is the better part of valor... just walk away when trouble comes...epecially if the situation has you on the loosing end of a fight form the get go.
I spent some time as a reserve deputy in a town with a Naval and Marine base right next to a major college. I have picked up and broken up a few military fights... there are two sides to all of them.
I hope he heals up and am really sorry that he got busted up. I'd give his company sergant a call to see how he is but stay out of it...this is between your son and Uncle Sam.
Hill